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This Week in Health & Medicine

19th May 2017

MORGANTOWN, WV - MAY 18: A student medical volunteer takes the blood pressure of a homeless man at a shelter on May 18, 2017 in Morgantown, West Virginia. The West Virginia University School of Medicine program, called MUSHROOM - Multidisciplinary UnSheltered Homeless Relief Outreach Of Morgantown-brings together medical, nursing, dental, social work and other health professional volunteers on 'street rounds' to aid the homeless. West Virginia, a state where President Donald Trump won in a landslide by defeating Hillary Clinton 67.9 percent to 26.2 percent, is also one of the nations poorest states where nearly one in five West Virginians struggled to afford basic necessities in 2015. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

Aaron van Dorn

New York office, The Lancet

This week in health and medicine news from The Lancet USA, Democratic state attorneys general seek to join a lawsuit brought by the House GOP to have a voice at the table on the future of the Affordable Care Act, the Trump Administration allegedly put pressure on insurers to support ACA repeal, and pelvic exams are at the center of a controversy on necessary medical interventions.

State AG Seek to Join ACA Lawsuit

Fourteen state attorneys general from Democratic states are seeking to join a lawsuit brought by House Republicans over insurance subsidies provided by the Affordable Care Act. Originally brought under the Obama Administration, an initial ruling argued that the ACA did not explicitly authorize the government to provide cost-sharing subsidies to insurers. When the Trump Administration came in, it and the House GOP requested the lawsuit go on hold. While the Trump Administration has continued to make the cost-sharing reductions, it has conspicuously refused to state that it will continue to do so. The state AGs argue that the instability that the Trump Administration has artificially created is driving up insurance costs for the state and endangering the ACA marketplaces needlessly. (ABC)

Trump Administration Allegedly Attempts to Extort Insurers for AHCA Support

Seema Verma, the head of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, is reported to have offered insurance industry officials an offer: if they agreed to publically support the Republican ACA-repeal effort, the American Health Care Act, then the Trump Administration would agree to fund cost-sharing reductions, payments scheduled under the ACA to reimburse insurers for policies sold on the ACA-established healthcare marketplace. Insurers expect premiums on the marketplace to rise sharply next year due to policy uncertainty created by the Trump Administration’s unclear approach to healthcare. (New York Magazine)

Controversy Over Pelvic Exams

Two doctors groups stand opposed on the issue of pelvic exams, used to examine the health of a woman’s reproductive organs, offers no known benefit, and can lead to false-positives and unnecessary surgery. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommend yearly pelvic examinations, while the American College of Physicians recommends the test only for pregnant women and those exhibiting signs of illness or disease. A study published this week found that when informed of the limited utility of the test, around 60% of women decide to forego the test. Both groups agree, however, that all women from 21 to 65 should undergo periodic Pap smear tests. (NPR)

Oregon Eyes Raising Tobacco Age Limit

The Oregon State Senate is looking at a new measure aimed at raising the legal age to purchase tobacco products in Oregon, from 18 to 21. According to supporters of the bill, the measure is aimed at pushing back ready availability of tobacco into full adulthood, as 90% of smokers begin smoking prior to the age of 18. Around 12% of Oregonians currently smoke tobacco, which has held steady for the last five years after steep declines. Other tobacco measures under consideration include raising the taxes on cigarettes and applying a tax to ecigarettes, and an effort to require those who sell tobacco products to register with the state. (Statesman Journal)

Tick Season is Here

The weather is warming up and people are engaging in more outdoor activities, but people should make sure to protect themselves from ticks before heading out into the woods. Thanks to a combination of reforestation efforts and climate change, the CDC is warning that they expect this summer to be a bad one for ticks and tick-borne infections. Reforestation has created larger habitats for deer and rodents, which carry ticks, and warmer temperatures and shorter winters has meant the range for ticks has increased. The CDC recommends using an insect repellant containing DEET on your skin, and treating clothing and boots with products containing permethrin. (Time)

California Botulism Outbreak Traced to Nacho Cheese

Nine people have been sickened after consuming nacho cheese sauce from a family owned gas station. The Valley Oak Food and Fuel in Walnut Grove, CA, is still open for business, but is no longer selling food. Investigators have not yet determined if the nacho cheese sauce was mishandled by the gas station, causing it to become infected with bacteria that produce the toxin that causes botulism, or if responsibility lies with the distributors or manufactures. In the meantime, go for the chili. (CBS)